Rig Floor Safety Tips

Around Rotary Tables

There are many more safety tips that could be added, but if these are followed by the crew and enforced by the driller, many accidents can be eliminated around the rotary table.

Slippery floors are the cause of a large percentage of slipping and falling accidents.  It is recommended that:

  1. Flooring should be built of good heavy material, and as nearly flat and level as possible.
  2. Suitable nonskid material should be used on all working areas wherever possible.
  3. Toe holds or cleats should be used only when necessary.
  4. Drain holes should be in low places to drain drilling mud from the floor.
  5. The rig floor pipe rack decking should be constructed of material that allows stands to drain while racked in the derrick.
  6. Flat, level covers for all openings in the floor (mouse hole, rotary lock, etc.) should be available and used.
  7. All guards and rails should be in place at all times.

Handling Drill Pipe, Tongs, Power Tongs, Slips, and Spinning Chain

  1. Tong handlers should assume a position on the inside or throat of the tongs and close to the drill pipe at all times. This position will keep the tong handlers away from whipping chains and tong lines.
  2. The floorman’s hands should never be close to a joint in the jaws of the tongs. One hand should be on the handle of the lead jaw and one hand on the handle of tongs while coming out of the hole.  While going in the hole, hands should be on the jaw handles.
  3. Crew members should examine tong lines for proper clamps and frayed ends of cables each tour. Lines should be clamped with no hitches or knots.
  4. Derrickmen should examine tong derrick lines and sheaves at least weekly.
  5. Use long spinning chains. Take enough wraps around the pipe to make certain that the chain will not slip before the joint is tightened.
  6. It is recommended that a soft-rope tail be used on the spinning line and that this tail is never over 8” in length.
  7. Drillers should always have all of the slack out of the cathead line before all the power is used in spinning up the joint.
  8. The floorman should handle slips with palms of hands up.
  9. When pulling the slips, lower the body by bending the knees and not the back. Let the legs do the lifting; avoid using the back for heavy or awkward load lifting.